Testimony of a Catechist

I quote “Give Jesus to the world. I have chosen you and you are mine” unquote.
Truly this quote changed my life. The quoted mandate has always been in my sight since 2013, the year I first stepped into this catechetical family under the guidance and footsteps of our beloved ex-parish priest Fr. Ligorinho. Joining this family has been my best decision and I don’t regret this till date. This association is not just a group of people functioning to spread the word of God and catechists but an association blessed with the noblest profession that not only moulds and shapes young hearts but as a person in totality.

 

Having been a part of this noble profession, I am blessed in many ways. First of all, this helped me to be closer to the Almighty. Secondly, to grow deeper in faith as my days go by. Third, to know the importance of every person’s perspective about life and God and the list goes on. Not forgetting Fr. Ligorinho’s words and I quote “Trust in God. All this will be done” unquote. Truly these Father’s words kept us going.

Being with children is one thing I always loved and joining this association has made me live up my liking. The smile on their faces does lighten everyone’s day. The innocence in them makes us want to teach them more. Their inquisitive minds asking those questions make not just them to think but makes me learn and inquire more about a given topic. Importantly this association made me read the Word of God more to know more.

This is not all, being a Catechist, taught me team work and to trust God in every part and parcel of my life. Lastly, it has been a boon to my faith in every day’s task. Not forgetting my co-catechists, who have been my guides and supporters right from day one. Lastly, I thank my parents for always being by my side and supporting me in every decision I take. This decision of joining the association has made a big difference in my life.

As I end my testimony, I quote the words of Pope Francis
“Being a catechist is not a title, it is an attitude of abiding with Him, and it lasts a lifetime! It means abiding in the Lord’s presence and letting ourselves be led by him”.

Rhea Bangalorkar

Dehydration

As our summers are becoming increasingly hotter due to loss of forest cover, increased de-vegetation etc we find more and more people in Goa falling prey to dehydration. Coupled with this, our inability to drink sufficient water to maintain sufficient health of our body. We only drink when we are thirsty and not a minimum fixed quota for good health. Normally 10 -12 glasses of water per day are minimum to maintain good health. This can be divided as 3-4 glasses an hour before breakfast or as soon as you get up in the morning, 3-4 glasses an hour before lunch and 3-4 glasses an hour before dinner. In the summers this requirement increases drastically. Our human body is roughly 75% water and this is found within cells, in between cells and within blood vessels. Although water is constantly lost throughout the day as we breathe, sweat, urinate and defecate we can replenish the water by drinking sufficient fluids. Also the water can move around to those areas of the body where it is needed most. People at risk of dehydration include athletes, those living at high altitude and older people.
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Career Guidance

“Career Guidance is a facilitative process, a service rendered to the individual to aid him in choosing and adjusting to an occupation”. An example of career guidance is a meeting with a consultant who helps people figure out what a good job would be for them based on their skills and qualifications.

Most of the students after S.S.C.E are in a quandary or uncertainty over what to do. Some students may be brilliant in Maths and Science will not take the streams which will get them jobs in the medical and engineering aspects. There are vocational streams in every field and they do not want to task themselves of studying, remembering and even practicing experiments where they can achieve a degree in science, commerce, Engineering or Arts.
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Old Memories of My Summer Holidays

It just had to be the last day of the academic year and the words which echoed in the hearts of every student were just …. Summer holidays.

It was just fun and laughter during our summer holidays. We would be playing merrily while the sun shone brightly. The neighbourhood children of different age groups, caste and creed would get together from 4 – 7pm. Games u can hardly hear, in present days – “Seven tiles” “Hop scotch” were our favourites. Boys would play “gillie danda, flying kites, robbers and thieves etc. etc. All these games brought in so much of connectivity with each other. Well, it was just fun, to yell, shout and scream in the open ground.

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Term Insurance and Home Loans – What’s the Connection?

Planning to buy a house or have already bought one? Did you buy a term plan? Well buying a house is not at all easy and we buy a house so that we live as a family. Its dream come true for anyone to settle in a house of theirs with the family and at no cost would want the family to be out of the house. When you buy a house it’s always through a loan. Have you ever considered what happens in case of an eventuality? Are your family members capable of paying the premiums by themselves or its ok with you that the loan lending financial institution takes control of your house and drives your family out of it? I guess no one would want to see such a day. This is exactly where term insurance comes handy when you have a house loan. This is because the Sum assured is used to settle the home loan after your death so that your family lives in the same dream house without any financial burden.

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Pormoll Editorial – DEC 2017

The festive month of December is here and it brings along a special and magical time filled with family traditions and warm memories.

The feast of our dear St. Francis Xavier is generally celebrated on 3rd December but this year as 3rd December is the first Sunday of Advent, the Feast will be celebrated on Monday, 4th December. St. Francis Xavier, as we all know, gave up all his family fortunes and the worldly fame in order to proclaim Jesus. All of us, in a special way, Goans, are the beneficiaries. His faith made him forsake corruptible worldly ways to love God and his incorruptible word, and in return God blessed us to see his uncorrupted body. Every year, we make it a point to visit Old Goa. Do we go only to seek and receive favours from God through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier? Do we ever praise and glorify God for his wonders or just complain and beg for more? At least this year let us pledge to build and spread the faith we have received from this Saint, our very own “Goemcho Saib”.

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ADVENT – Season of Waiting…..

Every Christian eagerly awaits Christmas, because it is a joyous season. There is a different kind of feeling. The air is different and this is the reason people wait for Christmas. It is a time to reunite families. Families who are far and wide anxiously wait for this time to meet their family members and friends.

Do you know there is time of preparation for this big day “CHRISTMAS”? We have to prepare the way and the time is called Advent. What is Advent? – Advent is a time of Expectation, waiting and preparing for the celebrations of Nativity of Jesus. Latin Word Adventus Means arrival or coming of Christ. During Advent we have four Sundays to prepare.

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Doctor Speaks

Why is good health so elusive in these modern times?

Sometimes one cannot help but reminisce about the good old days of our childhood when good health was in abundance among the people and there was a general feeling of contentment and well-being.

Why do we have youngsters as young as 25 years nowadays succumbing to heart attack, diabetes, hypertension etc., when in the past these terms were practically unheard off?

The fast food culture makes it cool to hang around MacDonald’s and savour those burgers, French fries, rolls etc. No one likes to eat nutritious home cooked food.  Walking or cycling for even short distances is old fashioned when its more fashionable to zoom around in one’s latest trendy car. It doesn’t matter that your abdominal girth keeps increasing!!During our childhood days there were few cars and scooters around. The 100cc bike revolution in 1984 started a new path to laziness. Maruti brought out the 800 in early nineties and from then on it’s a cut throat competition among the various automobile manufacturers to bring out new and supposedly better models, even if it’s just old wine in new bottle.

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A Father’s Pain and Sorrow

For Our reflection prior to the Christmas Festivity.

About 2000 years ago, when our Heavenly Father sent His beloved son to be born of Virgin Mary, what could have been His thoughts and feelings? I believe, God is pleased if we contemplate this aspect so that our thoughts and feelings identify with that of our Heavenly Father. If this happens, will we not celebrate Christmas with the right attitude and with appropriate disposition? To know what were God’s thoughts and feelings, let us list the events prior to and soon after Jesus’s birth. Those events are:

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Christmas Time – Time To share Our Love

Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on 25th December. The significance for Christians is their belief that Jesus is the ‘Son of God’, the messiah sent from God to save the world from sin. Christmas is the festival of peace, joy, love and goodwill when families are reunited, houses are decorated with lights, x’mas trees and gifts exchanged. Saint Nicholas is associated as Santa Claus – the fat, jolly, red-clothed, white bearded Santa.

The real meaning of Christmas actually is Emmanuel, God with us. Christmas is special because it reminds us concretely that God is indeed with us in every circumstance of life. So let us embrace Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior.
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